Anesthesia Coding Alert

Be sure to report the correct 'unspecified' option.

When ICD-9 becomes ICD-10 in October 2013, the diagnosis codes you're accustomed to reporting will no longer exist. Many diagnosis codes will include more details than their current counterparts, and some sub-codes of the same family will even move to different locations.

Consider two new commonly reported options for nuclear sclerosis, or nuclear cataract (366.16, Senile nuclear sclerosis).

ICD-10 difference: Diagnosis 366.16 will change to H25.10 (Age-related nuclear cataract, unspecified eye). Because the descriptor doesn't specify which eye the surgeon treated, your physician's notes should include details to help you code accurately. The anesthesiologist might not include modifier LT (Left side) or RT (Right side), but will often note whether the surgeon treated a right or left cataract.

Caution: Some coders currently submit 366.9 (Unspecified cataract) instead of gleaning the details necessary for more accurate reporting.ICD-10 will also change that diagnosis, to H26.9 (Unspecified cataract). Notice that the "unspecified" option will be in a different code family (H26.x versus H25x), so be prepared to dig deeper for the best option. Always encourage your anesthesia providers to clearly document whatever procedure the surgeon performs, however, so you can code correctly and hopefully avoid "unspecified" diagnoses.